So twice now Rakshas has pointed out that his face isn't where it's supposed to be and i think i'm starting to get it. The faint ghosty face is his weakness but it's never hidden underneath his mask like an ordinary head, rather it's blended in somewhere on the cloak, nigh impossible to see considering his movements and how well hidden it naturally is.

Yep, that sounds like it. He seems to use the mask as a semi-permanent decoy, like I mentioned when episode 339 came out.

Amazing fight. Finally, the Urumi are out! And yet they didn't deter Rakshas for long. I also don't think there's any doubt as to whether Rakshas has shown us his apostle form or not: he has. And he looks pretty badass I think! Dare I say even a bit insectoid-like in that one specific panel where he's sending in his scythe-like appendage to grab a horse through a building?

All in all a superb episode. Can't believe they managed to trap him! He was too arrogant... But maybe rightfully so, because boy, are they in a tight spot now!

Could it be that he has always been in his apostle form? Just a second transformation or something like that?

The form we've seen him in up untill now is definitely as "human" as he was going to get. Its a bit like Rosine where the "human" form still looks and behaves far differently from normal. He even has a perfectly normal body when he twists his legs up into the air this episode. Safe to say this new form is the "monster" one.

Man, Rickerts ambush was great, I really think Rakshas is gonna buy it here, he's hand's just been forced to much to do another quick escape.

Could it be that he has always been in his apostle form? Just a second transformation or something like that?

Well... these things are not exactly precisely defined. They're not official terms or anything, just expressions we use for convenience's sake.Basically, every apostle, even in what we call their "human form", is still monstrous to some degree (usually superhuman strength, reflexes, durability and so on). Rakshas is one of those whose "human" form isn't very human to begin with, but the process is still the same: he goes from one state to another, more monstrous one.

Man, Rickerts ambush was great, I really think Rakshas is gonna buy it here, he's hand's just been forced to much to do another quick escape.

You are gravely misreading the situation if you think Rakshas is going to die. He was overconfident and has been forced to unleash his true power as a result, but they've already used up most of (if not all of) their tricks against him. And now he's got Erika too. Furthermore, he didn't escape because he was at a disadvantage during their last encounter, he leisurely left because he "didn't feel like" fighting anymore. Believe me, he's not the one in trouble right now.

You are gravely misreading the situation if you think Rakshas is going to die. He was overconfident and has been forced to unleash his true power as a result, but they've already used up most of (if not all of) their tricks against him. And now he's got Erika too. Furthermore, he didn't escape because he was at a disadvantage during their last encounter, he leisurely left because he "didn't feel like" fighting anymore. Believe me, he's not the one in trouble right now.

Why wouldn't Rakshas die in this situation? He's been around since the beginning of the last arc, he's currently facing off against the only living character(s) left with some shared history who now know exactly what they need to do to defeat him and he's done what every other apostle we've seen has done when they find themselves neck deep, and those apostle's last minute final form change has never been enough, save for Grunbeld which is a bad comparison for many reasons.

Right now he's got Erica hostage, and Rickert isn't going to take a step out of Falconia without her, so either he drops her and escapes in what is essentially a slightly beefed up repeat of something that happened one episode ago, he escapes with her back into the capital which opens up a lot of possibilities at the cost of scrapping everything Rickert's Falconia journey has been leading up to, likely splitting him off from Silat and erasing any potential closure for this Falconia segment until he gets her back (and he's shown that he would be far more likely to just outright kill her, but does anyone really see that happening?), or the extremely powerful magic user with the flying monster who Erica just happened to befriend comes in and lends his support to a group already highly skilled and capable of thinking on their feet.

Griffith's untouchable generals have to start falling some time. What do you think he's being saved for? A final fight with Guts or any other party member wouldn't carry nearly as much weight and drama as what is happening right now. And if there's any backstory about him in store, Silat would be the one to spill it, so it's not like he needs to be alive for that.

Why wouldn't Rakshas die in this situation? He's been around since the beginning of the last arc, he's currently facing off against the only living character(s) left with some shared history who now know exactly what they need to do to defeat him and he's done what every other apostle we've seen has done when they find themselves neck deep, and those apostle's last minute final form change has never been enough, save for Grunbeld which is a bad comparison for many reasons.

First off, does it look to you like Rakshas is in any danger right now? What's a threat to him exactly? Second, you're not going about this the proper way. Apostles that have transformed and not died? How about Zodd? How about Locus, or Irvine? Apostles use their full power when they need to. There's no formula that means they have to die afterwards.

Right now he's got Erica hostage, and Rickert isn't going to take a step out of Falconia without her, so either he drops her and escapes in what is essentially a slightly beefed up repeat of something that happened one episode ago, he escapes with her back into the capital which opens up a lot of possibilities at the cost of scrapping everything Rickert's Falconia journey has been leading up to, likely splitting him off from Silat and erasing any potential closure for this Falconia segment until he gets her back (and he's shown that he would be far more likely to just outright kill her, but does anyone really see that happening?), or the extremely powerful magic user with the flying monster who Erica just happened to befriend comes in and lends his support to a group already highly skilled and capable of thinking on their feet.

I'd like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that Erika and Luka are officially written with a K. That aside, Daiba is not an "extremely powerful" magic user, but yes, I believe he is likely to come and rescue Erika (and the others), allowing them to escape from Rakshas by flying off. Because Rakshas himself is certainly not going to flee from them. He didn't even do so last time, as I've already reminded you, but he has absolutely no reason to do so now.

Griffith's untouchable generals have to start falling some time. What do you think he's being saved for? A final fight with Guts or any other party member wouldn't carry nearly as much weight and drama as what is happening right now. And if there's any backstory about him in store, Silat would be the one to spill it, so it's not like he needs to be alive for that.

You seem awfully confident about what future developments Miura has in store for us. Why couldn't there indeed be a final confrontation with Rakshas that had drama and did involve the Bakiraka and maybe even Guts' group in a team-up effort? Nothing prevents it from happening.

Anyway, how about we take a bet on it? If Rakshas dies next episode, you get +999 Karma, if he doesn't, you get -999. You in?

First off, does it look to you like Rakshas is in any danger right now? What's a threat to him exactly? Second, you're not going about this the proper way. Apostles that have transformed and not died? How about Zodd? How about Locus, or Irvine? Apostles use their full power when they need to. There's no established formula that means they have to die afterwards.

Locus and Irvine have never faced off against anyone besides generic mooks. and Zodd is a whole other character with a much deeper connection to Guts who's fights carry a lot more gravity.

I always thought he's quite a powerful magic user, second only to Flora perhaps, but at least far above Schierke?

No way, Schierke is miles above him. She can actually leave her body and summon astral beings, something Daiba is incapable of. During their encounter he had an advantage because of where they were fighting (a big city) and because he had the might of the Kushan empire behind him. He had many Daka and Pishacha at his service, and most of all he was using the Kundalini's power. And yet he was still defeated. Now, with all of that taken away from him, what can he do? Charm animals, do some basic elemental tricks... but what else? I guess we're about to find out, but either way, he's second rate.

Rakshas is one of those whose "human" form isn't very human to begin with, but the process is still the same: he goes from one state to another, more monstrous one.

Well I prefer Rakshas "human" form to that of the pig apostle.

But man oh man, what an episode. Silat using almost all his members in that fight. he just needs to use the other foot and every bit are gonna have knife on it! But seriously that part with his foot his one of my favorite of the episode (a part for the flamethrower, who'd have guess we'd see a flamethrower in Berserk) Once again Miura has proved himself a genius. October come quickly we need your episode!

The city sleeps and Rakshas is tailing Rickert from the rooftops. As he gets down and closes in for the kill, fireworks light up, surrounding and revealing he's fallen for a trap. Rickert opens fire with the repeating crossbow he'd been carrying in an inconspicuous box. Looking from a window overhead, Luca comments that it seems it has started. She warns Erika not to approach the scene until the battle is over, that it's not fit for women and children. She also warns her girls not to try to peep, because if they're caught by the Demon Soldiers, they'll be either killed on the spot or arrested for helping traitors.

Rickert sprays Rakshas with arrows and exclaims that he got him. But as Rakshas' body slumps down, another one rises up from below. He grabs his mask, on which an arrow is notched, and says: "I told you... my head isn't necessarily there." He then complains upon looking at the damage: "Awww, I wear a new mask and it's already damaged... Only bad things are happening to me today, *sob*". Rickert uses the opportunity to try and shoot him some more, but Rakshas flicks his hand and sends the arrow he just removed from the mask right in Rickert's shoulder. He tells him he's got amazing guts to be fighting against him instead of running away. Rickert replies that he was once tracked by his kind for dozens of miles (referring to the boar apostle), so he knows he can't easily run away from him. Rakshas replies: "Indeed... many apostles have a fixation... Especially because they're all attracted by the Falcon. Me too. However, I... want to kill the Falcon with my own hands."

Silat uses that opportunity to strike. Rakshas dodges the Urumi (he recognizes the weapon), but they cut into his cloak. Silat calls him "joyful murderer", and tells him he's really unqualified to be an assassin. An assassin shouldn't feel joy when they kill somebody, and that's a fatal flaw among the Bakiraka. An assassin should bring death, not taunt their target. He then tells him he'll slash him into rags. Rickert thinks to himself: "Great". Silat sees Rakshas' face move within the cloth. He tells Rakshas that "the same tactic won't work twice" and manages to slash his face with a blade held between his toes. Tells him "you're finished" as he's about to administer the death blow, but Rakshas calmly responds: "the blades can't cut me anymore". The fabric has ensnared them.

The apostle goes on the offensive and Silat defends with his Katars. Rakshas comments that Silat's skills really have improved. That he used to only be arrogant because he was the son of the chief. And that he (Rakshas) was careless just now. Silat replies that it's true, he used to be arrogant. But that, on a battlefield, he was put in his place by a man (using an idiom about his nose being disjointed). "After that, I practiced everyday to be good enough to manage in this harsh world." Rickert, who's been a witness to all of this, realizes that Silat is talking about Guts.

Rakshas tells him that the fireworks are going to go out soon. "I, Rakshas, will be shattered into the dark. When the flames are extinguished, so will be your life."Silat says: "you're late". The Tapasa reply: "sorry for keeping you waiting, master. We're ready." They use the water spraying device as a flamethrower against Rakshas. Rickert exclaims: "We got him!" Silat comments that filling that device with oil to shoot fire from it was a great idea. Meanwhile, the girls are worried because of the fire. Erika suddenly gets going, despite Luka yelling at her to stop.

Rakshas is burning. He tells them: "don't look at me... don't look at me... don't shine a light on me" as he transforms into his apostle form. Rickert comments that he's a reborn demon (i.e. apostle); that it's the true form of Rakshas. Rakshas, now huge, grabs a horse through a roof and splits it open over himself. Rickert realizes that he was trying to put out the flames with the horse's blood. The Tapasa swear at him, and Rakshas throws half a horse at them, destroying the flamethrowing device. He comments on the fact he's still burning a bit. Erika arrives, worried about Rickert. Luka's running after her, but to no avail. Rakshas snaps her up in an instant, and holds her up high in the sky as Rickert screams her name.

He had many Daka and Pishacha at his service, and most of all he was using the Kundalini's power.

Actually I think leaving one's body is a very elementary skill for mages, even Farnese is shown able to manage it after brief training.

Is it possible that he could just summon another Kundalini? Since he could harness the creature, shouldn't we see it as part of his power? I don't think Schierke could deal with that thing without Guts' help, and vice versa.

Is it possible that he could just summon another Kundalini? Since he could harness the creature, shouldn't we see it as part of his power? I don't think Schierke could deal with that thing without Guts' help, and vice versa.

Not sure but I think he'd need to be near water in order to do that...

Awesome work on the translation as always! The most standout things to me was the way Rakshas describes himself being "shattered into the dark", that's the first sort of acknowledgement we've had of his unnatural stealth, he really can blend into the dark, in the most literal sense of the word. as well as him telling them not to look at him after the fire gets him.It lines up with the fragile sense of self that we got a glimpse of last episode. The wording of "don't shine a light on me" definitely has meaning beyond being lit up by the flame. Being uncomfortable with that gigantic monstrous "true" form seems pretty Rakshas-y.

Thanks for summarizing/translating PuellAaz! I LOVED Rakshas' line when he's set on fire and transforms. I almost feel bad for the guy -- he's been stopped at every turn, and has to both transform AND stoop to low tactics to get the advantage in the fight.

Is it possible that he could just summon another Kundalini? Since he could harness the creature, shouldn't we see it as part of his power? I don't think Schierke could deal with that thing without Guts' help, and vice versa.

No he couldn't, because the Kundalini isn't a spirit like those Schierke summons. It's an animal, like a Kelpie or an ogre. A very powerful animal, but an animal nonetheless. Daiba had to find one and tame it, probably over the course of many years, to achieve that result. And from his comments during that part of the story, it seems he had Ganishka's help in the process (speaking of which, remember that at the time he was constantly inhaling Ganishka's fog, like all the other Kushan mystics).

As for dealing with the Kundalini, again, remember that the battle was heavily stacked in Daiba's favor. Schierke couldn't easily summon a spirit because of the proximity with Vritannis (and was tired from having summoned one already), and they were fighting at sea, so literally the ideal environment for the Kundalini.

Superb episode. Rakshas's apostle form makes me think of some kind of reaper... impressive design.Pre-ordered my Young Animal copy yesterday; I did that for the two previous issues and I'll do that every time a new Berserk episode is coming out from now on.

« Last Edit: September 23, 2015, 09:40:45 PM by The Beast of Darkness »